The Full Monty

I was forced to see this for my English class the last day before the Christmas break... it's so bad, I actually would have preferred a surprise test/exam. The plot moves so slowly that I had to look at my wristwatch several times every couple of minutes, to make sure that time was actually passing. It's also quite possibly the most repetitive I've ever seen in a movie... every five minutes, one of the main characters is saying 'I can't strip because *yak yak yak*' or being roasted by their girlfriend or wife for something or other. And, come on, don't tell me you hadn't figured out the ending from the title, or even the cover. The ending is unsatisfying, it leaves more loose ends than any other movie I've ever seen... put together. The acting is mediocre and the characters are poorly written and almost completely alike. None of them are likable in the slightest. The humor is poor slapstick and the old ignorant-gags that we are supposed to laugh at(someone says "you could kill yourself by drowning." the guy replies "I can't swim"). The movie is so bloody predictable... it starts out with them talking about how strippers must be fags... and ends with them stripping. Ridiculous. Are we really supposed to like these people, feel with them? They don't want to work for a living, because they were fired from one job... so, instead they decide to strip. Oh, wait... that's not exactly enough plot for 90 minutes... lets have them change their opinion about stripping every few minutes... still not enough? How about we throw in a few poorly choreographed stripping sequences that have some bad slapstick and other lame attempts at humor? We made the 90 minute mark? Good. Now... what do we have? One of the most pointless and boring movies ever made, that's what. The character development is bad, and obviously just thrown in to make the movie long enough. We don't care about these characters. And do the film-makers really expect us to care about the hardship they go through in the film? They're trying to strip for money! For Christs sake, it's not like they were doing some big personal project and were held down by 'the man'. They were trying to take off their clothes for money. And every single joke that you can imagine that there would be about their sexuality and looks is in there. Like my one line summary says, this might be somewhat entertaining for women and the British... but I doubt anyone else will really like this, even slightly. I certainly didn't. I recommend this only to members of the two aforementioned groups. Anyone else should avoid this, but in particular viewers of just slightly intelligent films should stay away from this. No substance at all. 5/10

This is an unbeatable movie! I saw it at the theater in 1997 along with about 7 other women...we all went to the theater alone because our hubbies refused to take us! Seriously...I did not know one single woman in the theater that day! We all loved the movie right off... My sister bought it and we watched it with captioning, and boy had we missed a lot of lines at the theater and funny ones at that! You see with the English accents and all their slang-- you just can't understand a lot of what they are saying... Watch this movie with and without the captioning! It's like watching a movie with English being your second language, and I B.S. you not! The English working class has a different way of expressing themselves--its so charming and hilarious... I think Robert Carlysle is brilliant "Gaz". I cannot think of anyone who could have done it better. This movie cannot be beat! I bought it and recommend it to everyone!! Definitely a ten out of ten.

Robert Carlyle and Mark Addy combine with a great support cast to bring one of the freshest comedies in years to the big screen. Set in Sheffield after the great 'City of Steel' Days, there are more people in the dole queue, than out at work. Struggling for money the pair decide that if the Chippendale's can get the kit off and make a packet, then why can't they. They recruit some more strippers, all desperate for some cash, and promise the city the Full Monty. Now all they need is to learn how to dance, learn how to overcome there fear of the Full Monty and sell some tickets. This film is a very funny view of a struggling community in what was once a thriving city. Great characters, slick and realistic dialogue and great direction, this is one of the finest British comedies ever. 8/10

A complete rip off of the superior stage production of 'Ladies Night'. Five guys, butt ugly, ageing and gross, decide to earn money by giving the ladies a thrill by doing a strip act. They can't dance and haven't got an erotic bone in their bodies so the finale is vomit inducing. Leave the video on the shelf and check out your local stage theatre and see five guys turn from ugly ducklings into beautiful swans, with great music, brilliant audience interaction and bodies and strip routines to get the temperature soaring.

No matter how many times I've seen it, and there's been lots, I laugh so hard it hurts. The characters are so endearing, especially little Nathan, that you just love them all. The music is great, and there are moments that tugged at your heart as well as make you laugh out loud. And the final stripping scene is fabulous! Glad to see Gaz finally got in time with the music. ;)

I didn't hate the movie. I just was surprised at all the hubbub about it. It was a little movie that was mildly diverting at best and yet it got so many kudos. I guess I have to give it a few points for being original and some decent acting by a bunch of unknowns, but I just didn't find myself caring about them or the plot. I would not have gone to the theater to see this nor would I have bothered renting it. In fact, it was on HBO or some other pay channel and that's why I saw it. And, that's exactly what I recommend. See it if you want, but don't bother PAYING to see it, as there are better ways to spend your money. Another little film in which you also get to see an ugly old man's butt is Waking Ned Divine--a much more interesting movie and certainly worth paying to see.

This movie will stand the test of time and be remembered as one of the funniest, most touching comedies ever made. A small miracle of a movie. Could never have been made in the USA; if they do an American remake, I'll tell you now, it won't come close to this great time at the movies.

One thing I've always appreciated in British films is that the actors look like Real People. I don't mean unattractive, but just normal everyday looking, unlike Hollywood actors who are exceedingly pretty with perfect teeth and stylish clothes, and unlimited bank accounts, no matter what their occupation. In this film, a group of unemployed steelworkers decide to put on an amateur strip show to make ends meet. It is presented as a comedy, but it does have some very moving moments, as it shows the despair and desolation of unemployment. And it subtly displays the economic conditions of Thatcher's England, where entire industries were shut down, taking jobs and local economies along with them. As in other British films, the characters seem real, like people we would know if we lived in their town. I can picture having a pint down at the local pub with Gaz and Gerald more than, say, Tom Cruise.

source: The Full Monty